FIRST PLAY: BLACKSTAR ID:CORE V3 STEREO 40 COMBO

Blackstar’s upgraded entry-level practice amp delivers great tone and much more for what, in anyone’s book, is a serious steal

Words Nick Guppy

Photography Olly Curtis

BLACKSTAR ID:CORE V3 STEREO 40 COMBO £185

WHAT IS IT? The latest upgrade of Blackstar’s compact and affordable entry-level digital amps, with improved voicings, effects and the all-new Architect software

Like rust, technology never sleeps and if you don’t keep moving forwards you end up getting left behind. Happily, that’s not something you could say about Blackstar, where a continuous program of improvement seems to come up with something new and innovative almost every week. This time round, it’s the turn of Blackstar’s popular ID:Core entry-level practice combos to get the upgrade treatment, along with a similar refresh for the Insider software app that partners them. So, let’s take a look at the biggest of the new three-amp mini range, the ID:Core V3 Stereo 40 combo.

Like all Blackstar amps, the ID:Core V3 Stereo 40 has a smart, purposeful vibe, covered in decent quality black vinyl over a robust MDF cabinet, with a recessed grip handle on the back. Behind the classy black and silver grille cloth sit two 6.5-inch full-range Blackstar loudspeakers, while the electronics live on a printed circuit board placed underneath the control panel. Most of the components are surface mount, which makes the ID:Core’s technology possible in such a small space, as well as lowering the power requirements. Here, power comes from a laptop-style external supply, or there’s the optional PB-1 battery pack for mains-free use anywhere.